Responding to the Canadian Radio-television and
Telecommunications Commission's recent call for public consultations, the Information Technology Association of Canada
issued a statement saying that the CRTC should keep its hands off new media.

"We believe the Internet should not be subject to laws or regulations that
do not apply in the non-digital world," said Gaylen Duncan, ITAC's President
and CEO. "While we applaud the CRTC for initiating public consultations on
the role of government agencies in regulating new media, we
will be telling them that the hands-off approach that government has taken
to date is the right one."

Duncan says that, while it's important that the entire community has a
chance to hear the discussions, learn the issues, and make its voice heard,
that ITAC does not want unnecessary regulation to hobble new media's
potential.

"It is our job in the information technology industry to act responsibly as
we develop this new resource, to protect privacy, respond to the concerns of
individuals and provide effective avenues for redress."

ITAC is the voice of the Canadian information technology industry. Together
with its partner organizations across the country, the association
represents 1,300 companies in the computing and telecommunications hardware,
software, services and electronic content sectors.